THE SPECIFIC OXYGEN

UPTAKE RATE
Ed Stentiford
The University of Leeds

EU Biowaste Workshop Brussels April 2002

Stability and Maturity

Stability

Relates to microbial activity

More relevant during the early stages of
composting

Maturity

Relates more to the beneficial effects of the

compost from a plant viewpoint

Area of overlap

grey area at the end of the high rate biooxidative phase

EU Biowaste Workshop Brussels April 2002

Tests for stability

No single parameter widely accepted
Combination of tests likely to be
needed
Respirometric tests seem most useful
Based on well-understood principles
Relatively high degree of reliability and
repeatability
Fairly simple and inexpensive

EU Biowaste Workshop Brussels April 2002

Development of SOUR
Originally as a research tool to monitor
composting progress
Since been used on a wide range of processes
and materials

Based on the BOD test which is

Used routinely in wastewater treatment
Has been adapted to be used as a
respirometric test

SOUR further adaptation of the BOD

EU Biowaste Workshop Brussels April 2002

Thinking behind SOUR

Reproducubility

Solid state results are dependent on material

structure and moisture
Liquid suspension removes limitations related to
structure, moisture content and oxygen
availability

Ease of use

Uses standard pieces of laboratory equipment

requiring no specialist training

Low cost

Operates at 30oC uses DO monitors (no need

for sealed respirometers)
EU Biowaste Workshop Brussels April 2002

Apparatus
Interface (A/D)
& controller

DO meters

O2 probe

Fish tank
pumps

Compost
suspension
Water bath, 30 oC

EU Biowaste Workshop Brussels April 2002

Methodology

Screen material through 10 mm

Break up large solids
Use 3-8 gm of solids (or more)
Add to 500ml of distilled water

Blend for 30s

Set in water bath at 30oC
Alternate aeration and DO measurement
Measure the max rate of DO consumption

The mass and liquid amount are matched

according to the projected O2 consumption rate

EU Biowaste Workshop Brussels April 2002

Typical DO rate response Figure 2

DO (mg O2/l)

8
6
4
2
0
0

10

15

Time (hours)

EU Biowaste Workshop Brussels April 2002

20

Typical SOUR profile Figure 3

mg O2/ g VS/ hr

25

SOUR

20
15

OD20

10
5
0
0

10

20

30

40

Time (hours)

EU Biowaste Workshop Brussels April 2002

50

Use of SOUR
Used in Leeds since early 90s
SOUR v OD20 (Figure 3)

Correlation over a wide range of feedstocks

has been good
Peak value used as it is easier

Figure 4 (in paper) shows a typical set of

results
Figure presented for MSW and sewage
sludge mixtures being windrowed
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Typical SOUR results - windrow

Pile 1
Pile 2
Pile 3

mg O2/ g VS/ hr

20
15
10
5
0
0

20

40

60

80

Age (days)
EU Biowaste Workshop Brussels April 2002

Self-heating

Tmax - Ta (oC)

60

MSW1
MSW2

40
20
0
0

20

40

60

80

Age (days)
EU Biowaste Workshop Brussels April 2002

SOUR and self-heating

Self heating - good
Tmax - Ta (oC)

60

SOUR - good

50
40
30
20
10
0
0

10

15

20

25

SOUR (mg O2/g VS/hr)

EU Biowaste Workshop Brussels April 2002

Germination index
MSW1
MSW2

% of control

100
80
60
40
20
0
0

20

40

60

Age (days)

EU Biowaste Workshop Brussels April 2002

80

SOUR and Solvita with green waste

Time (days)

Solvita

SOUR

5.9

3.1

10

15

0.8

21

0.9

28

5 Small change

0.5

35

0.4

Large change

EU Biowaste Workshop Brussels April 2002

Working at different temperatures

Temperature originally set to be above
ambient (in UK) hence 30oC
Higher temperature more rapid result
Italian results from work at 35oC

If baseline is needed relationship of the

form
SOURT = SOUR30 (T 30)

EU Biowaste Workshop Brussels April 2002

Results from SOUR at 35oC

Refining removed plastic

20

80
70
60
50

15

40
10

30
20

10
0
0

20

40

60

80

0
100

Giorni di proce s s o
SOUR

CO2

Temperatura

EU Biowaste Workshop Brussels April 2002

Temperatura (C)

SOUR (mgO2 gSV-1 h-1) & CO2 (%)

25

Conclusions
Relatively inexpensive and simple to
operate
Good signal response without O2 transfer
limitations with solid matrix
Robust indicator used successfully with a
wide range of waste types
Good indicator of stability but NOT for
following maturity
EU Biowaste Workshop Brussels April 2002

Dilbert puts it in perspective!

EU Biowaste Workshop Brussels April 2002